I’m linking up for the very first time with 5-Minute Friday, hosted by the fabulous Lisa-Jo Baker. It’s a challenge to write for 5 minutes and 5 minutes only, solely for the sake of writing. Not for perfection. Not for impact. Not for anything but the love of writing. Today’s prompt? BARE.
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I’ve been asked so many times how I got so brave. I’ve been asked if it scares me, putting myself out there like I do when I write. I’ve been told that it might not be the greatest idea ever to write such personal things where everybody can see them, and I’ve been reminded that once something goes on the internet, it can never really be erased.
My response is simple: I am not brave, and that is WHY I have to bare myself with such painful transparency. I cannot live this life on my own, and while I know that I have the companionship of the One who made me living within me, I also know that I was created for community. I was created to live alongside other people. As hard as it may be to throw caution to the wind and post about panic attacks and depression and fear and loneliness, I have to do it. I have to do it because there is no healing in isolation. There is only survival, and I believe I was created for more than that.
If I share my story, you may see that yours isn’t so strange. You may see that you’re not the only one, or you may be relieved to see that someone else has more issues than you do! Whatever the case, I’ve learned that it’s the hard act of baring all that brings me most to life. It’s hard, yes. It’s scary, yes. But most things worth doing are.